BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Pittsburgh brought its third coach in as many years as it's come to the BBVA Compass Bowl, but for now, it looks like this one is here to stay.

Paul Chryst came to Birmingham to the BBVA Compass Bowl press conference on Thursday, along with Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze. Pittsburgh brought interim coaches the past two seasons and as soon as word leaked out that Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema was going to Wisconsin, speculation started that Chryst would be high on the list to replace him.

Chryst spent the last seven years as an assistant coach at Wisconsin. UW athletics director Barry Alvarez said Thursday that "I wouldn't feel right, and I don't think it would be appropriate for me to hire him back after I asked someone to do me a favor and help him get that job. So Paul's going to stay at Pitt."

Chryst said he was unaware of the statement from Alvarez.

"Certainly if it was good, I appreciate it," Chryst said at the press conference, which was held at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. "All the people, Mike Riley (at Oregon State) or Barry who I worked for, you're proud to have worked for him. You learn from them. Hopefully it was positive."

Chryst released a statement on Monday about his committal to the program and getting ready for the bowl game. Pitt has had head coaches (Dave Wannstedt and Todd Graham) leave after each of the past two seasons.

"You know what the kids went through," Chryst said. "I'm appreciative of where I'm at. That's the thing. I didn't feel the need, truthfully. The need was for the guys in the room and the guys that we're trying to recruit."

Pittsburgh and Ole Miss play in the BBVA Compass Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 5 at noon. The game will be on ESPN. Despite Pittsburgh making its third straight appearance in the bowl, Chryst certainly was happy to be back in Birmingham and felt like his team was as well. Both teams finished 6-6. Pitt beat Rutgers and South Florida to gain bowl eligibility and Ole Miss beat Mississippi State to get six wins.

"We were on the edge of not going anywhere," Chryst said. "It was good. I think that's what you appreciate. They know the good parts about it and the people. Talking to the seniors, especially the seniors, the things they talked about and enjoyed ... there are a couple of things we can change up, but they're excited to play and when we found out who we'd be playing, that adds something to it. Right now, I feel pretty good about the guys' mindset."

Freeze said the toughest challenge between the end of the regular season and bowl game would be keeping the players motivated while they deal with final exams and going home for Christmas.

"My mentality is I want to get more and more out of the kids," Freeze said. "I'm not sure that's the best answer right now. Learning how to balance the time we have with them, I don't want to deprive them of all of that but I want to prepare them to play their best football."